JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. -- A Jacksonville Beach man who said he wants the government to allow him to die with the help of his doctor has filed a lawsuit asking the federal courts to invalidate a state law that prohibits doctor-assisted suicide.

In his lawsuit, retired attorney James Mahorner Sr., argues that animals are permitted a more humane death than people under the current law.

"It's incidents where the blood flow is reduced," Mahorner said.

Mahorner, 76, told Channel 4 he's dying and described a condition he said causes mini-strokes. He said within a few years he would be mentally incompetent.

"They cannot give me drugs that would kill me -- that's forbidden. That would be assisted suicide. They can give me sedation. They have to starve me to death or kill me by thirst," Mahorner said, arguing that the current state law would cause him to have a painful and an undigni